Christ In The Midst Of The Church Series

CHRIST IN THE MIDST

Illustrations

Years ago a tornado destroyed a little church on the coast of England. The congregation was too poor to replace it. One day a representative of the British Admiralty called on the local minister. The official inquired if his people planned to rebuild. The pastor explained their situation. Whereupon the caller said, "If you do not rebuild the church, we will. That spire is on all of our charts and maps. It is the landmark by which the ships of the seven seas steer their courses."

Dick Halverson, the Chaplain of the Senate, notes:

In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centering on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe where it became a culture. And, finally, it moved to America where it became an enterprise.

Bible Verses

Revelation 1:4-20

The Seven Lampstands

1. In verse 13 John describes seeing Jesus in the midst of the seven lampstands

2. In verse 20 we are told the seven lampstands represents the seven churches

3. What is the meaning of the lampstand?

a. The lampstand in the temple was made of pure Gold and was meant to give light to the Holy Place

b. The lampstand represents God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit

c. The church is to represent God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit

4. The church is to be the light in a darkened world

Christ in the Midst

The most important part of these verses for the Church is that Jesus is in the midst of the lampstands (candlesticks)

We can learn 3 intentions for the church from this

Lesson from Christ in the Midst

1. The Church is intended to be about Christ

a. With Christ in the midst it shows us that the church revolves around Christ

b. It shows us that Christ has not left and will not leave the Churches alone and without help

c. Church is about Jesus Christ

2. The Church is intended to get its light from Christ

a. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and it is the task of the church to hold Him forth before the world.

b. Note that Christ stands in the midst of the candlesticks. The churches receive their light from Christ. Unless He stands in the midst of the church, the church has no light.

c. Without Christ, the church cannot be what it is intended to be

3. The message of the Church is intended to focus on Christ

a. The church must see to it that Christ is in its midst, and the church must proclaim the light of Christ to the world.

b. For Christ to be in the midst of the church means that the message of Christ is the very focus of the church.

i. The message of Christ is, of course, the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. He is the very theme of the Scriptures and it was the Scriptures that He Himself proclaimed.

ii. The church must make absolutely sure that the Holy Scriptures are read, studied, taught, and preached among its people and to the community at large.

c. The lampstands were symbolic of spiritual light shining out to a spiritually dark world.

i. Churches are intended to be examples of holiness

Church Today

Unfortunately, the church today is not necessarily about Christ

Many people see it as a social gathering

When asked why he came to church every Sunday one elderly gentleman replied “I come to church so that people will know I’m still alive”

The Church is intended to be about Christ and we have to get back to being about Christ in our lives.

Why Christ?

Why Christ should be the focus of the Church. John shows us Christ’s characteristics; these characteristics show us the reason the Church is intended to be about Christ.

Why Christ? Characteristics of Christ

1. The faithful witness – The one we can depend upon

a. John 3:11 - Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

b. John 8:14 - Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.

c. He is the one Person we can depend upon.

d. We can trust what Jesus Christ tells us.

e. Jesus Christ came from God, out of heaven itself, to reveal the truth to us—the truth about God and man and man's world.

f. What Jesus Christ has revealed can be trusted. He is the faithful witness.